Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Sam Horning (Falmouth, Maine) scored a team-high 14 points in Nichols College's 80-64 win at Western New England University in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the AHLC Field House.

Senior Ryan Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) added 10 points, three rebounds and three dimes as the Bison (16-5, 12-2 CCC) won for the 11th time in their last 12 outings. Nichols connected on 51 percent of its field goal attempts and scored 25 points off 21 WNE turnovers.

Junior Chris Johnson (Mansfield, Mass.) chipped in with nine points for the Bison while a trio of student-athletes – junior Marlon Bennett (Stratford, Conn.) and sophomores Gustave Koumare (Harlem, N.Y.) and Irving Eggleston (East Lyme, Conn.) – all scored eight points. The win moved the Bison to within one of the program record of 17, set during the 2003-04 season.

Western New England junior Musa Elsir (Springfield, Mass.) led all scorers with 16 points, followed by sophomore Zack Askew (Middletown, Conn.) with 11 points and senior Dennis Rinaldi (Harrison, N.Y.) had 10 points.

Nichols jumped out to an early eight-point lead after senior Ryan Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) made a layup at 15:33. The lead grew to seven when Koumare sank two free throws at 9:15 and led until Ryan Mickiewicz (East Longmeadow, Mass.) banged in a three to close the first half and give the Golden Bears a 31-30 halftime lead.

The Bison opened the second half on a 23-8 run to grab a 53-39 lead 8:27 into the second half. Junior Matt Langadas (Sebago, Maine) sparked the run with five points while Horning and junior Joe Gallant (Salem, N.H.) each scored four. A free throw from Koumare gave Nichols a 16-point lead with 9:56 to go in the second half, and that lead never dipped below 11 the rest of the way.

Nichols shot 51 percent from the field – including 8-of-19 from downtown (42 percent) – and sank 20 of its 25 free throw attempts (80 percent). The Golden Bears held a 38-28 edge on the glass and shot 38 percent (22-of-58) for the game. The Bison were credited with assists on 20 of their 26 field goals, led by sophomore Christian Horton (Rutland, Mass.) and Eggleston with four apiece.

The Bison host Endicott Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. The Golden Bears travel to Wentworth Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. contest.